Weekly round-up of great reads on food and wine #34

The Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo is one of the most important in the world but it is losing its influence according to an article in this week’s roundup

It is scandalous for supermarkets to throw bleach in their dustbins along with edible foods, said a former food minister in France Guillaume Garot, who proposed a law which forces big supermarkets to give unsold food to charities. The French national assembly has voted unanimously to approve this legislation which aims to tackle the huge epidemic of food waste, which highlights the divide between giant food firms and people who are struggling to eat.

We have written on the issue of food waste and feel this is an initiative that should be applauded and followed. The world produces enough food to feed all the planet but billions of tonnes of food get thrown away every year. Each and every one of us need to do our part.

We would also like to highlight an article we came across called the war on big food. The article looks into the problem of certain ingredients in food, like artificial colours and flavours, pesticides, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, growth hormones, antibiotics, gluten and genetically modified organisms. It says that the growing disdain for ingredients is becoming Big Food’s multibillion dollar problem. An analysis has shown that the top 25 US food and beverage companies have lost an equivalent of $18 billion in market share since 2009.

Chef Yoshihiro Murata of the legendary restaurant in Kyoto (Japan) called Kikunoi, is famous for kaiseki. Read this brilliant article about this Japanese master on innovation through tradition. He thinks that in 50 years time, there will be no borders in food. “We will no longer be talking about Nordic cuisine or Japanese cuisine any more. It will be about what is delicious, without any sense of nationality. That will be the new cooking tradition.

On the same subject of Japan, the Tsukiji fish market is one of the most impressive I have seen. But in this article, we are told that its role in Japan is waning, despite its popularity among tourists. The reason is that big retailers and supermarkets are now buying fish directly from distributors, without going through the traditional wholesale layers.

Lists are always interesting. Here is one on London’s most important restaurants. And if you are heading to Rome any time soon, you may want to keep this list of 10 places to eat incredibly well in Rome.

You may also be tempted with this article on Frankie Solarik, He is the c0-owner and mastermind of BarChef, considered one of the “top seven new innovative bars in the world.” He says that his approach to creating drinks is emotional and multi-sensory.

There is an article in Decanter about ‘orange wines’ or white wines that have been made as if they were red wines. The result differs, not only in colour, but it is also more intense on the nose and palate and sometimes has significant tannins.

As we approach summer, many tend to drink more white wine. Here is an article by Fiona Beckett about why white wines from southern France deserve more attention.

And to conclude, here is a link to a guide to the Spanish city of Bilbao with many tips.